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January 17, 2006
First Spacecraft sent to Pluto
NASA will
launch the first spacecraft for Pluto today. It will take 9 years for the
unmanned ship to travel 3 billion miles and reach the Solar System’s ninth
planet. NASA scientists will attempt to learn more about the planet Pluto
and its three moons including Pluto’s largest moon,
Charon.
The
spacecraft is called New Horizons.
New Horizons will also investigate the mysterious Kuiper Belt. This strange area of our Solar
System holds all kinds of icy objects including
comets.
The New
Horizons will also be the fastest spacecraft ever launched. It will leave earth at a speed of
36,000 miles per hour.
Pluto was
discovered in 1930 by Patricia Tombaugh. It was the last planet discovered
and will be the final planet explored.
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